Venting for molten sulphur tankcars

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing possibility of explosion during handling and transporting molten sulfur in vehicles by use of a novel venting device.

United States Patent MacKinnon Sept. 25, 1973 VENTING FOR MOLTEN SULPHUR Reielences Cited TANKCARS UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Malcolm MacKinnon, Calgary. 1,448,220 3/1923 Hunter 220/39 R X Alberta, Canada 1,481,750 1/1924 Sevigny... 220/39 R x 1,634,089 6/1927 Slate 220/39 R X [73] Assignee: Shell Oil Company. New York.

NY. Primary Examiner-Samuel B. Rothberg [22] Filed: May 18, 1971 Attorney-Harold L. Denkler and George G. Pritzker [21] A pl. No.: 144,496 57 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 220/39 R, 220/44 A device for preventing possibility of explosion during [51] Int. Cl B65d 41/04 handling and transporting molten sulfur in vehicles by [58] Field of Search 220/39, 44, DIG. 27, use of a novel venting device.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PNENTEnsl-iPzsms 3760.977

F/GI

' Malcolm Mackinnon INVENTOR HIS AGENT VENTING FOR MOLTEN SULPHUR TANKCARS The present invention is to a new, improved and novel device for handling and transporting molten sulfur in enclosed vehicles and vessels such as tank cars, trucks, tankers, storage vessels, etc. without the danger of explosion by attaching to said vehicles or vessels a novel venting device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hydrogen polysulphides are present in liquid sulphur produced from Claus process sulphur plants in concentrations as high as lOO-2OO ppm. These polysulphides are unstable and slowly decompose to hydrogen sulphide. This slow decomposition results in the continuous evolution of hydrogen sulphide from liquid sulphur. Thus during transport of molten sulphur in suitable vehicles such as tankcars or trucks from a loading point to destination, concentration of hydrogen sulphide gas and other sulphur vapours form inside these vessels such as tank cars.

At destination these vapours have to be vented before and during steaming and unloading of the sulphur from such vessels, in order to prevent explosions.

For example, existing tankcars are provided with a vent pipe and a threaded cap on the manway cover to vent vapours. These existing systems are however not satisfactory since sulphur splashing in transit solidifies and forms a solid crust on the inner surfaces of the manway cover and of the manway walls. This crust of solidified sulphur blocks the vent pipe. Furthermore vapours trapped beneath this crust cannot be vented.

SUMMARY OF THIS INVENTION In order to solve this problem, a tankcar for transporting molten sulphur comprises, according to the invention, a tankshell, a manway on the top of the tankshell, a manway cover on the manway, a threaded opening in the manway cover, a threaded collar having vent holes, said collar being installed on the threaded opening, and a rod so secured to the threaded collar that the rod extends downwardly into the space enclosed by the tankshell.

Preferably the said rod has the shape of a truncated cone.

The top of the theaded collar is suitably provided with a T-handle.

The vent holes are suitably arranged in the sides of the threaded collar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawings, showing an embodiment of the vent device according to the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a elevation view of vent device.

FIG. 2 shows an plan of the same vent device.

It comprises a rod 1, for example made of carbon steel, and having the shape of a truncated cone. A threaded collar 2 is secured to the large end of the rod 1. In the embodiment shown, the collar 2 has the shape of a sleeve having screw thread 3 on its outer surface. This sleeve fits over the large end of the rod 1. A T- handle 4, in the shape of a pipe, is welded to the said sleeve and to the rod 1 by means of welds 5 and 6. The

collar 2 is provided with radial ventholes 7.

In use the threaded collar 2 of the vent device as shown in the drawings, is screwed on a threaded opening 8, or on a threaded pipe, on the manway cover 9 of the manway of a molten sulphur tankcar, in such a way that the rod 1 extends into the space enclosed by the tankshell of the tankcar to about the centre of the tank. The rod 1 is immersed in the molten sulphur 10 after the car is loaded at the loading installation. During transit molten sulphur splashes against the inner surfaces of the manway cover and of the manway walls, which will cause the forming of a crust ll of solid sulphur.

At destination, prior to steaming the car coils and melting sulphur that solidified in transit, the rod 1 is removed. This is done by turning the T-handle about one turn. Vapours will vent through the ventholes in the sides of the threaded collar 2. After the vapours stop flowing from the ventholes 7 in the threaded collar 2, the collar 2 together with the rod 1 is completely removed. Since the rod 1 passes through the crust of sulphur, solidified during transit, the vapours formed under the crust are free to escape after removal of the rod 1.

After removal of the collar 2 and rod 1, a bar is run through the threaded opening in the cover, to make sure there is no blockage with solid sulphur. Thereafter steaming is started for melting sulphur solidified during transit. After completion of the steaming operation, the molten sulphur is unloaded from the tankcar.

Other vessels such as tankers, truck, pipelines or storage tank can be equipped with a venting device of the present invention in order to prevent explosion or fire or other conditions that might result in damage or destruction of personal and equipment handling, storing or transporting molten sulphur containing or forming small amounts of hydrides of sulphur such as hydrogen mono and/or polysulfides.

I claim:

1. In a vessel for transporting molten sulphur, the vessel being a shell having a manway positioned on the shell, a manway cover on the manway, and a threaded opening in the manway cover, the improvement comprising:

a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installed in the threaded opening; and

a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends into the space enclosed by the vessel.

2. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the rod has the shape of a truncated cone and the top of the threaded collar is provided with a T-handle.

3. A venting device adapted to be inserted into a threaded opening in a manway cover, comprising:

a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installed in the threaded opening; and

a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends into the space enclosed by the vessel.

4. A venting device comprising:

a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installable in a threaded opening; and

a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends downward from the collar. 

1. In a vessel for transporting molten sulphur, the vessel being a shell having a manway positioned on the shell, a manway cover on the manway, and a threaded opening in the manway cover, the improvement comprising: a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installed in the threaded opening; and a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends into the space enclosed by the vessel.
 2. The vessel of claim 1 wherein the rod has the shape of a truncated cone and the top of the threaded collar is provided with a T-handle.
 3. A venting device adapted to be inserted into a threaded opening in a manway cover, comprising: a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installed in the threaded opening; and a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends into the space enclosed by the vessel.
 4. A venting device comprising: a threaded collar having ventholes, said collar being installable in a threaded opening; and a rod secured to the threaded collar so that the rod extends downward from the collar. 